Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleKatie HawkinsonSaturday 04 April 2026 19:56 BSTHegseth claims scrapping Endangered Species Act is 'essential for national security'Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly forced out Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and other top officials this week.A New York Post report claims Hegseth's “paranoia” about being replaced by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll motivated the ousters.Sources indicate Hegseth views Driscoll as a top contender for his position and is targeting those perceived to be close to Driscoll.The conflict was reportedly fueled by Driscoll's involvement in Ukraine peace talks and a previous disagreement over Hegseth blocking officer promotions.Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell denied any conflict between Hegseth and Driscoll, while Republican lawmakers praised Gen. George's service.In fullHegseth’s latest purge of top generals is down to his ‘paranoia’ over fears of losing his own job, report claimsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in